Canadian Death Certificate FAQ

When someone dies in Canada, the death must be registered with the vital statistics office in the province where the death occurred. A death certificate is then issued to the next of kin. If you need a death certificate or a replacement, you must consult the registrars in the relevant province:

In most cases, you need to complete an application and provide proof that you are eligible for the death certificate (tnext of kin). Not all provinces and territories allow online applications, however.

My mother is trying to obtain a death certificate on her estranged husband who was from and passed away in Canada.

Your mother should contact the Vital Statistics Office or Registrar General of the province her husband died in. Need to find out how to obtain death certificate of my estranged wife? All I know she died about 4-5 years ago and I have Funeral Home that performed services. I do not have specific dates. I am in United States and getting Married but need this document to do so. If I need to go to Canada to obtain this is there some form I can fill out and sign so that someone can go on my behalf as I am unable do to work reasons.

You can apply for your wife’s death certificate from her province of death’s Vital Statistics Office or Office of the Registrar General. Many provinces now offer online applications for your convenience. Whether funeral certificate is sufficient to prove death.

It depends upon what you want to use it for. Often a “Proof of Death Certificate” signed by a funeral director is sufficient, but it may not be, you may require the Death Certificate issued by the provincial Registrar or Vital Statistics Office. how do I apply for an early registration of death ?

There is no such thing as early registration of death. The deceased has to be dead before you can apply for a death certificate. Am I entitled to see my father’s death certificate and wills

You can get a copy of your father’s death certificate from the Registrar General or Vital Statistics Office of the province he died in. His will is another story – you will have to contact whoever is in possession of the will. I live in the United States, how do we get a death certificate for our father who died in Canada while visiting?

You will have to contact the registrar or Vital Statistics office of the province where he died. Death certificates are handled by the provinces. how to find out if a person died in quebec? would just like the date and confirmation

You will need to contact the Directeur de l’etat civil: http://www.etatcivil.gouv.qc.ca/en/default.html I have had my 15 year old daughter in my custody since she was born her father was never in her life and he died 4 years ago I was told I need a death certificate but don’t know how to get in contact with the family haven’t seen or talked to them in 15 years and I can’t get a copy of the certificate as I wasn’t his spouse when he died and my daughter can’t get a copy until she’s 18 so what am I supposed to do?

If you live in Ontario, for example, there are no restrictions on who can apply for a death certificate: https://www.orgforms.gov.on.ca/eForms/eForms_faq/start.do?lang=en#whoCanApplyDeathCert So you can apply for your daughter’s father’s death certificate and then use that to apply for whatever it is your daughter needs. Is there any way to get a death certificate urgently?

If you need a death certificate earlier than the standard three months wait, you must apply for an Early Registration of Death. You can only apply for this process if you have a valid, urgent reason. You must submit proof of urgency. What counts as a valid reason for an early registration of death?

The validity of your reason for an early death registration is left up to each Registrar General. If you can prove that because of the person’s death there is an urgent reason to settle an estate claim, this has been seen as a valid reason to qualify for an early registration of death. Also if someone needs to claim a will from a deceased relative, as long as there is sufficient proof of this need, then this has been valid before for an early registration of death. How long does it take for a death to be legally registered?

It takes about 3 months for a death to be registered according to the Office of the Registrar General. You can apply for the death certificate once you receive notice that the death has been registered. How do you register a death?

Following the death, you must call a doctor or coroner. He / she will fill out a Medical Certificate of Death and give it to the funeral director. The funeral director and a family member must then complete the Statement of Death form. The funeral director will then submit both the Medical Certificate of Death and the Statement of Death form to the local municipality’s clerk’s office so that the death can be registered. Why do I need to apply for my deceased husband’s death certificate?

Without his death certificate, you cannot legally remarry, arrange to dispose of his remains, file for benefits, or access his financial accounts. What does a death certificate contain?

A Canadian death certificate contains the deceased person’s full name, gender, date of death, place of death, place of birth, marital status, residence, registration number, and date of registration. Do Canadian death certificates list the cause of death?

No. If you need a certificate listing the cause of death you should apply for a Certified Copy of the Death Registration or Medical Certificate of Death from the province or the municipality, depending on the area.